Some Things are Just too Ridiculous: Side Stories
by Lioconvoy
Summary: These short stories contain background to the main "Some Things are Just too Ridiculous" fic.
1. A look at Nodoka

Disclaimer: Nodoka Saotome, Genma Saotome, Ranma Saotome, and Kasumi Tendo are property of Rumiko Takahashi, a lot of the additional characters are my creations or have been inspired by WarGiver. I'm writing this story for fun, so please don't shoot me for borrowing the Ranma ½ characters.

Some Things are Just too Ridiculous: Side Stories  
A look at Nodoka

By Lioconvoy

Pre-story note: The present day of this story takes place during the events of chapter three. After Soun has left the office where he sold some family property.

~~ Ten Years Ago ~~

After hitting her husband on the head several times Nodoka Saotome thought she finally convinced her husband to stop trying to take away her only son. He was barely five years old she didn't see the point of Genma taking Ranma on a ten year training journey. "Why can't you train Ranma here?"

"Nodoka, the boy would be soft. Not to mention that fact that since he's been alive each year we've added another daughter to our family. Two months after he turned one the twins were born, on his second birthday came Koneko, a month before he turned three was Naru, then Nene three months after he turned four. Let's not forget our first child, Natsumi may be a bit of a tomboy, but she is only eight. Dear, I can't train the boy properly here." Genma loved each and everyone of his seven children, but Ranma was his heir and the boy needed to be trained properly. A mother's love would only weaken him and who knew what sort of corruptive affect his sisters might have on him. No he and the boy needed to leave before he got Nodoka pregnant again.

"Why ten years? And do you have plans to visit at all during your trip?" Her husband may have had one point. Their daughters could prevent their son from being a true man among men.

"It will take that long for the boy to master the art, the Musabetsu Kakuto Ryuu is a very complicated discipline." Not to mention maybe he or Nodoka will have grown sterile by the time he returned. Seven children were more than enough, maybe if more of them were boys he wouldn't mind it as much, but six daughters and one son. If he remained here with his wife and continued to do his duties as her husband; in ten years time they could have seventeen children, more if the former Narita gave birth to any more twins.

"Genma will you visit?"

"I'm sorry Nodoka, we will be traveling quite far. I will write." Visiting would be a bad idea. He loved his wife very much, but she was far too fertile.

"You must do this." Sadly now she could see his point. She didn't want to be parted with her only son, and her husband, but she wouldn't be alone. "Very well. But I want your promise. You will raise Ranma to be a man among men."

"I will. If Ranma is not a man among men when we return we shall both commit seppuku for our dishonor." She was letting him go, Genma wanted to jump for joy, the line would hold at seven. Outwardly he kept calm, Nodoka mustn't know that as happy as she had made him, he didn't want to give her anymore children.

~~ Five Years Ago ~~

Her eight daughters were currently spending time with her father. Nodoka sighed. It had been four years since she last saw her husband or son. Genma wrote to her every other week, but she wanted him here beside her. Sighing, she thought how Genma took Ranma farther away when he heard that Yuukune and Rouko were born.

Broken from her thoughts by knocking at the door, she rose from the couch and went to answer it. It couldn't be the children, her daughters shouldn't be back yet. Leaving the living room and reaching the door she opened it to reveal a woman standing there who looked much like her, if a little taller and perhaps bigger in the chest. Another thing she noticed was the woman was wearing ill fitted men's clothes.

"Nodoka it's been a long time."

She didn't know who this woman was, but a hug came with her greeting. Releasing herself from the hug the Saotome matriarch tried to figure out who this woman was. "Do I know you?"

"Do you know me? Is that anyway to treat your older brother?" Makoto frowned, why didn't his little sister recognize her. Looking down at his chest…he or rather she at the moment figured it out. "Sorry I've gotten used to them and sometimes I don't notice when I've changed. I passed by an old lady cleaning her sidewalk on the way here. Nodoka, could I please have some hot water? That will clear things up."

The woman claimed to be her brother? Makoto Narita was many things; and adventure, a relic hunter, a street fighter, but a woman? "Come inside please."

The older of the three Narita children followed her little sister in to her home and then sat down on the couch as she went into the kitchen. It seemed she would fulfill her request. "I'm sure this is quite the shock, but trust me I am Makoto. You see while I was in China I stumbled upon this strange valley with a lot of springs. I was looking at one of them when a tour guide came up from behind me and started shouting at me in Chinese. He startled me and I fell into the spring I was examining and now I change into a woman with cold water and back to a man with hot."

"Really? A cursed spring?" Her older brother had quite a number of amazing things happen to him, but this…. Then again some of the relics he brought back did rather impossible things as well. A jewel he once brought back from Norway made Koneko into a cat for a short time. Handing the woman the cup she watched her change from female to male as the water washed over him. "It is you."

"Of course it is." The relic hunter smiled, happy little Nodoka acknowledged him. "I don't know if he mentioned it in his letters, but I ran into Genma in Sapporo before I took my trip to China."

"No he didn't. Did anything happen?"

"No, not really. I sparred with Ranma, Genma's training him well." Inwardly Makoto was grateful Genma didn't tell his wife about the Neko-ken incident. He had been worried the fat fool would try to place the blame on him. Sure he gave his brother-in-law the book of advanced combat methods, but Genma should have read the entire instructions for the technique before trying to teach it to Ranma. "How are things here?"

"Well Natsumi's been spending more time with Chisato's daughter, and training with her under Soun. Hiichi and Mizuni prefer training with our sister. Koneko and Naru spent a lot of time trying to figure out just what some of the artifacts you've left here do. Fortunately there hasn't been another incident like with the 'Eye of Odin'."

"I sold that to an American. I don't think he knows what it does and he plans on using it as a display piece. Nene, Yuukune, and Rouko?" He probably shouldn't have interrupted his sister, but he felt the need to assure her she wouldn't have to worry about that particular trinket again.

"Mother has been looking after them while I'm busy with the restaurant." As much as she missed her husband, sometimes she was grateful he took off with Ranma. Yes she wanted him here to help raise the children, but sometimes she worried how many more they might have had if he stayed. In the back of her mind she wondered if that wasn't the real reason he left.

"You and Chisato seem to be doing well. I went by and it looked full."

"Yes we are. We've been able to hire an additional cook and two more waitresses lately." It had been one of her father's better ideas. Both she and her friend were excellent cooks, and although Mr. Tendo had his dojo, Chisato got bored simply being a house wife. The Wild Horse was actually quite fun for the two of them to run.

~~ Four Years Ago ~~

Nodoka still had tears in her eyes. Why had Chisato gotten so sick so suddenly. Poor Soun, now he'd have to raise his daughters on his own. She knew what that was like, and she wondered how good a job she was doing.

As Chisato's health declined she was forced to spend more time at the restaurant and her daughters spent more time with her parents. History seemed to repeat itself. When she was growing up she, Makoto, and Kyo were raised more by their grandparents then their father and mother. She really wished her mother would stop letting her younger sister influence her children.

Five years Genma had been gone with Ranma, she wished it wouldn't be five more years before they returned. She wanted her husband back now. Given the way their daughters were turning out he didn't have to worry about them corrupting Ranma.

~~ One Year ago ~~

Nodoka stepped out of the kitchen and handed her brother a cup of hot water. As always, if she was alone when he visited, somehow he ended up a she. "If I didn't know better I'd say your curse doesn't want mother, father, and Kyo to find out about it as much as you don't."

"A living curse. I don't quite think that's possible, but I've never much understood magic in the first place." Taking the cup offered, the older of the two Narita children dumped it on herself and she then returned to his original male form. "You really sent Genma that pamphlet?"

"Both you and my husband's letters tell me he's keeping his promise. I wanted Ranma to be a man among men, and it sounds like that's what I'm getting. It's just our daughters…"

"You've always had too high a standard, that's how grandmother raised you. You haven't failed, in this day and age people are different then they were during the time of our grandmother." Makoto sighed, Nodoka was his favorite sister, but sometimes she spent too much time living in their grandmother's shadow than being her own person. "Do you really want your only son to turn into another girl? There are other springs there too; a little black pig, a cat, a duck, a panda, a tengu, and a kangaroo among many others."

"What's a kangaroo doing in China?" Maybe she didn't think everything through. It was just she was jealous of her husband's success.

"Drowning." Makoto cracked a smile, then a frown quickly returned. "I've always been careful what I've passed on to Genma. After the Neko-ken I knew better than to give anything potentially dangerous to him."

It had been years before her older brother finally told her about her husband's first act of stupidity. At the time they had been looking after a neighbor's cat, and it slipped his tongue. She was mad at Makoto at first, but since he was here and Genma was wherever, it was easier to forgive her brother. It was remembering what he said about the book of advanced martial arts that gave her the idea to send the Genma the pamphlet for Jusenkyo. "Maybe it was a mistake."

"Maybe Ranma won't get cursed. Ariel combat is one of his specialties. Personally I wouldn't mind Genma falling into one of the springs. Possibly one of the smaller animals so he can be caged when he causes trouble." There was a lot his sister didn't know about his brother-in-law, but considering Genma had certain pieces of information on him…he couldn't tell Nodoka.

~~Present day ~~

Nodoka put down the phone. Tomorrow she'd pay a visit it to the Tendo home. Ten long years had passed and instead of returning home he tried to flee to his friend's home.

Setting aside her anger, she knew her husband's actions weren't completely unjustified. Soun told her she got her wish. Of course he likely didn't know about her wish or the seppuku contract, if he did maybe he wouldn't have mentioned Ranma's curse.

She had no intention of having Ranma or Genma take their own lives, but she was a little happy Genma was afraid. She didn't know if Ranma was aware of the promise, and she hoped he wasn't.

-v-v-

Lio's Corner:  
-This is one of several side stories I have ideas for. Some things I think will be easier to right out like this rather than in the main story.

-As mentioned in the pre-chapter note the present day takes place during chapter two. Soun's unseen call to Nodoka happens after he sells the property.

-v-

Getting to know the extras:  
Since I was trying to make this story as ridiculous as possible, it has a lot of extra's that I've created to fill various roles. Here I'll try to give a brief summery of those characters.

-Makoto Narita: In this story Narita is Nodoka's maiden name. She has two siblings; one older and one younger. Makoto is the older and his primary job is that of a relic hunter. Often he'll leave various relics with Nodoka. Some of them with rather unusual powers. Makoto has the same curse as Ranma, but he's been able to hide it from all but Nodoka. When meeting with the middle Narita child somehow it always ends up activated.

-Kyo Narita: Nodoka's younger sister. Where as Nodoka spent more time with their grandmother and takes after her, Kyo hung around with Makoto and their grandfather. Kyo is tomboy, and although she's had many boyfriends she's still single. She is also the current master at the Narita family Dojo and has taught all of Nodoka's daughters.

-Natsumi Saotome: Ranma's older sister, she's best friends with Kasumi. Although described by others as a tomboy, it's mostly because she enjoys fighting.

-The younger Saotome sisters: Created by WarGiver for a "Twin Trouble" Omake, I decide to include them in Some things are Just too Ridiculous because I found the concept of Ranma having a lot of tomboy younger sisters hilarious. They are; the older twins Hiichi and Mizuni, Koneko, Naru, Nene, and the younger twins Yuukune and Rouko. I'm still in the process of developing personalities for them.


	2. Ryoga's Marriage

Disclaimer: Ranma Saotome, Genma Saotome, Ryoga Hibiki, and Shampoo are property of Rumiko Takahashi; a lot of the additional characters are my creations. I'm writing this story for fun, so please don't shoot me for borrowing the Ranma ½ characters.

Some Things are Just too Ridiculous: Side Stories  
Ryoga's Marriage

By Lioconvoy

Pre-story notes:  
-The present day of this story takes place after Ranma and Genma have started fleeing from Shampoo.  
-In the scenes Shampoo is not with Ryoga, she and everyone else is speaking Chinese. I can't really think of a way to show this in a way that fan fiction(dot)net will accept, so I'm just explaining it now.

~~ Somewhere in China ~~

Ryoga finally found his backpack. He was sort of surprised he found it so fast, but he didn't quite enjoy running around naked. Taking some spare clothes out of his pack he wondered if he'd turn into a pig again. Oh, that girl and panda! After he dealt with Ranma, he would find them and they too would know his suffering.

After getting dressed he wondered what he should do now. How much further was it to China? Wouldn't he have to cross an ocean at some point? Somehow, even with his sense of direction, he would find Saotome and the ponytailed boy would pay the price for running out on their duel.

Putting on his pack, he thought about what little he knew of geography. China was down and to the left of Japan on a map. He had been heading south for a while maybe he should go west now. His direction decided, Ryoga continued his hunt for the one who must suffer.

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Shampoo frowned as she washed dishes. She was supposed to be hunting down Ranma, she could not allow a simple wall stand in her way. Unfortunately the wife of the restaurant owner was an Amazon and she was forced to not only work to pay for the wall, but also the meals of both Ranma and her panda.

"You do good work Shampoo."

Turing her head Shampoo saw her sister Amazon. Although their village was no longer as big as it once was she had never met Balm before. The woman was attractive by male standards; she had a figure that was slender and petit, her chest was larger than Shampoo's, and she had short blue hair. "Please allow me to continue my hunt. That girl stole my prize and then defeated me in combat."

"Then it became her prize." Balm frowned. She understood her little Amazon sister must have given the redhead 'the kiss of death.' But living outside the valley she understood how much the world had changed. How far ahead it was of them. Killing or marrying someone because a simple defeat seemed ridiculous. "You will remain here until I and my husband decide otherwise."

"Did he defeat you in combat?" Shampoo couldn't help but wonder why Balm hadn't returned with her husband to the village. According to their laws if a male outsider defeated an Amazon, the outsider must be taken as a husband and brought back to the village.

"Cayenne defeat me?" Balm couldn't help but laugh. Yes her husband was a former Musk, but he was no fighter. Her poor husband's animal ancestor was a turtle. Cayenne had a strong defense, but his other skills were lacking greatly. Still, he was smart and by no means unattractive despite his ancestry. He was by thin but well defined, his hair was spiky and pink, his face a little feminine, but his eyes were those of a man. She fell for him at first sight, and somehow he fell for her as well. The two decided to leave the valley and make new lives for themselves in the outside world. "Little sister, I was born an Amazon, but I choose to discard my past in favor of happiness. Our laws are old and have no place in the modern world."

…Balm may also have been an Amazon, but Shampoo had no respect for her. Unfortunately although she was the village champion the purple haired girl had no illusions that she could defeat the blue haired elder.

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Over the course of the last two weeks Ryoga now understood how his curse worked. Cold water turned him into the little black pig, and hot water restored him to normal. He had to consider himself lucky that both times people tried to cook him they threw him into the pot whole and not cut him up first.

"I'm sorry about that I didn't know you were a Jusenkyo victim."

The lost boy didn't know what to say to the latest person who had just boiled him. If not for the fact that the man's blue haired wife had walked in when his form was restored he would probably have gotten mad, but instead he was rather embarrassed. The man and his wife agreed to let him stay at their home for the night. Sitting at their dinner table now, maybe he should be grateful.

"This awkward. I know you mad, but we letting you into our home. Say something." Balm's was in awe at her husband. He spoke Japanese so easily. Yes the strangers language had its roots in their own, but she herself didn't have a very good grasp of it.

"Maybe outsider is stupid, not understand he not deserve anything." Shampoo sat across from the boy wearing a headband. His silence annoyed her even more than the couple having her speak the boy's language."

"That not true. Husband try to cook him. He deserve more than meal and place to rest. "The older of the two present Amazons understood the younger's point of view, but she did not agree with it.

"Er, I am very grateful. The last person and panda that tried to eat me just ran away." He had to agree with the man's wife. This was awkward. He sort of felt bad they were speaking Japanese just for him.

"My guess is the panda too was a victim of Jusenkyo. Normally they don't eat pigs." Cayenne was a bit surprised, the cursed springs were rarely visited these days, yet the boy had been there with other visitors. "What brings you to China?"

"Ranma Saotome. He ran out on a duel, and I will make him pay for his cowardice." So this was China, he was beginning to think so, but how did he get there without swimming? Ryoga wondered if the maps were wrong and an ocean didn't separate China and Japan.

"I kill Ranma." The purple haired girl had learned the name of the girl who beat her during the chase. Once she was allowed to resume it she would find Ranma once again and take her life.

"You both hunt same person? This Ranma not seem too bad, she only not pay bill because you scare her" Balm remembered Ranma because of her red hair and panda companion. They were messy eaters, but Ranma had been very polite to her.

"Her? Ranma Saotome is a guy." Sure his rival had that ponytail but he didn't look all that girly.

"She was with a panda, that ate like a man. It's possible she is the same person you're looking for under a Jusenkyo curse of her own." The former Musk wouldn't pass judgment on the girl. His information on her so far was mostly second hand. 'Ranma', if that was her name; had run out on a duel, ate Shampoo's prize, and then earned it. Since he was in the kitchen he during her visit he only saw her after his wife pointed out the panda she was with.

"RANMA TURNS INTO A GIRL!" He was knocked into the cursed spring by a girl chasing a panda. Later a panda, possibly the same one she was chasing, tried to eat him. This hell he now lived in was all Ranma's fault. "I will kill him."

"Shampoo said she kill Ranma." She didn't understand everything that was being said, but one thing she was sure of was that the boy was trying to rob her of her vengeance.

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Balm felt very uncomfortable about this. Dinner had turned into a shouting match between Shampoo and the Japanese guest. Now outside, the two were about to do battle. "We stop, yes?"

"Can you take them both?" Cayenne silently promised never to eat pork again. This was not worth it. At least they got them outside before starting their fight.

"No, I not think so. Not know how strong boy is." Either the foreigner was going to be killed by Shampoo, kill Shampoo, or knowing the younger girl's adherence to Amazon law, he could end up forced to be her husband. The blue haired woman was already starting to feel sorry for the boy.

Ryoga stared down at the girl who stood opposite him. He would not let her get in his way. Ranma was his. That jerk wouldn't escape his divine retribution by getting killed. Breaking him from his thoughts, the purple haired girl made the first move and tried striking at him in his stomach. As she stepped back seemed surprised that he wasn't going down. Using the surprise to his advantaged he swept her feel out from under her.

"She underestimated him." The older male watched the younger attempt to punch his opponent in the face, but she was able to roll out of the way and get off the ground quickly.

"He not bad. Look at crater." It seemed that the boy was strong, the crater wasn't too deep, but still considering how hard the ground here was, two inches was impressive. Her eyes back on the battle, the fight sort of reminded her of her own battle with her husband. However unlike the man she chose, the boy had real skills in addition to his strong defense.

"Yes, I think he's just met his wife." As he said this, one of the cursed boy's offensive blows connected and Shampoo was down.

"I will be the one to make Ranma pay." Ryoga looked at the girl's form on the ground. She was unconscious wasn't she? He hoped she was just unconscious. The man's wife went over to her and started looking over his fallen foe. "I…I didn't kill her, did I? I tried to hold back."

"She be fine. You just knock out."

"Okay good." Normally he'd never fight a girl, but he couldn't let her rob him of his revenge. If he was still allowed to spend the night, he would sleep, then move on. Hopefully he'd not have to fight the girl again.

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Shampoo woke up still a little hazy. She lost. The foreigner was to be her husband. Well thinking about it, he wasn't bad looking, he was definitely strong. Maybe it wouldn't be too bad.

"You're going to go through with it?" Balm sat besides Shampoo's bed. She had been waiting for her to wake up; this was a conversation she wanted to have with the younger Amazon.

"It's Amazon law. He beat me so I must take him as my husband." The older woman might ignore their laws, but she would not. Considering that her new husband seemed to have the same goal as she did, their marriage would be mutually beneficial.

"Do you think he even wants you as a wife?" This was going to every bit as difficult as the older woman expected.

"He has no choice, it's Amazon law." It seemed so simple to her, what was the point of the blue haired woman arguing with her. Shampoo would not break with Amazon traditions.

"He's proven he's stronger than you, and we are not in the valley. Amazon law means nothing out here. Whether you think he has a choice or not, he does, and what if he chooses not to accept you?" Balm couldn't help but wonder what Ryoga would think about Shampoo declaring herself his wife. "You don't even know his name."

"I don't care, he is my husband now. I will help him take his vengeance against Ranma." It meant setting aside her own duty bound retribution, but maybe her husband would be kind enough to allow her the finishing blow.

Over the last two weeks she had several times tried to persuade Shampoo to set aside the outdated laws of their tribe, but this conversation was turning into a repeat of the previous ones. Was there no way she'd be able to dissuade the purple haired girl? "Shampoo, you both are young, as my husband understands in the boy's country you are too young to be married."

"The laws of his country mean nothing. The only laws that mean anything are the laws of our village." Shampoo was getting tired of this argument. "Do I need to work today?"

"Yes, and then after we close tonight you will be released." Balm frowned. At one time their village had the power to easily overcome all that stood in their way. These days though, technology had advanced to the point where, for all the village's martial arts prowess, should they cross the wrong outsider they would be crushed. Well Ryoga would have a head start at least. Getting up, she exited the room they were allowing Shampoo to stay in.

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Ryoga had enjoyed sleeping on a bed, but he didn't much care for being woken up as early as he had been.

~~ A hour ago ~~

"My What?" After being woken up early, Cayenne-san sat him down saying he had something he needed to explain. According to the older man; the purple haired girl, whose name was Shampoo, was now his wife. Ryoga couldn't believe it. He didn't want to believe it. He was only sixteen, he never even dated before, and now he was married?

"It's Amazon law. I'm sorry we didn't warn you, but you and Shampoo were so willing to fight we were worried we may get hurt if we got in between the two of you. My wife has tried to get Shampoo to ignore the law, but she's had no success so far and I don't think she'll be successful once Shampoo wakes." Cayenne could tell the younger man trying to figure out the appropriate reaction.

"She doesn't even know me, I don't know her. We just met yesterday." Would he be spending the rest of his life with this purple haired girl? The lost boy worried about what his might parents say to his bringing home a wife? Would they even approve of her?

"Know you or not, she is intent on following through with the law of her village. Because my wife is also from Shampoo's village I'm familiar with their laws, but I can't really think of any way out of this for you. If Shampoo had fought Ranma when he was male, then she'd be his wife most likely. However, because she fought him when he was a she, she gave him the 'Kiss of Death'. The 'Kiss of Death' is for any who stands in the way of an Amazon, male or female, so Ranma would have had to beat her when he was male to override the kiss. Even then it would be the Matriarch of the village who decided which victory would be acknowledged." Looking at the blank expression of the boy's face, the young man sighed. "Sorry, my thoughts escaped from me. I sometimes over think things. I'm afraid there is nothing I or my wife can do. Shampoo will force herself upon you. Your only chance is to leave now before she awakens."

~~ The Present ~~

This was another thing to add to the list comprised of what was all Ranma's fault.

-v-v-

Lio's Corner:  
-If you're wondering why I've paired Ryoga and Shampoo, I figured it be interesting, and the story wrote itself.

-I have one more story idea for Ryoga and Shampoo that will be a short story, although even after that it may be a little bit before they appear in the main story.

-I guess it's something I should mention now, but the side stories won't be in any particular order. I will be writing them as I get the ideas for them. However I will make sure to mention when they take place, and before a chapter in the main story where they are relevant I'll make sure to refer to the side story that should be read beforehand.

-v-

Getting to know the extras:  
Since I was trying to make this story as ridiculous as possible, it has a lot of extras that I've created to fill various roles. Here I'll try to give a brief summary of those characters.

-Balm (Pàmǔ): In the manga there is a scene where Shampoo had smashed a hole in a restaurant wall to get at Ranma. When writing this story I got the idea that the restaurant owner made her work off the damages. Still I didn't think Shampoo would stick around if just anyone was making her work off a debt, so I decided the owner wife would be a former Amazon. Balm is only about twenty-one but she prefers the outside world to the Amazon village. She met Cayenne after she left the village and the two hit it off well.

-Cayenne (Kǎiyuán): Since I was introducing a new Amazon I figured why not introduce a new Musk as well. I gave Cayenne a turtle ancestor because turtles as sometimes seen as wise and I wanted someone Ryoga could speak Japanese with. Cayenne left the Musk village because he couldn't see a future for himself there. In the manga Cologne was surprised the Musk were still around so maybe one of the reasons their population was declining is because more and more of their young would rather be a part of the outside world.


	3. A Sense of loss, a sense of gain

Disclaimer: Ranma Saotome, Akane Tendo, Nabiki Tendo, Tatewaki Kuno, and Kodachi Kuno are property of Rumiko Takahashi. A lot of the additional characters are my creations. I'm writing this story for fun, so please don't shoot me for borrowing the Ranma ½ characters.

Some Things are Just too Ridiculous: Side Stories  
A Sense of loss, a sense of gain.

By Lioconvoy

Pre-story note:

-This story takes place after chapter five.

~~ Somewhere near Furinkan High ~~

She was still a girl. That one thought was on the forefront of Tatewaki's mind. She had defeated Akane Tendo in combat, but while others were restored by her victory, she was not. Jun-sempai and Chojiro-sempai had been restored this morning after her victory over Mai-sempai, and then after she won over Akane there were many other reversions. Why was she not among them?

As she had done earlier in the day she focused on the spell she placed on Akane. "For only a man is truly worthy of her and if one cannot best her then he is no man."

She had finally bested Akane in combat. Why was that not enough to prove she was a man? How did her victory prove the manhood of those that received it this day? What did she need to do to take back what was taken from her?

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Arriving home, 'Taki' headed straight to her room. Once there she removed all her clothes and stood before a full length mirror her sister had given her. Like Nabiki, Kodachi often tried to get her to wear more feminine clothing. However, like Nabiki, her younger sister had, for the most part, not been successful. Still, she kept the mirror. It was one of the few things Kodachi had ever given to her aside from various poisons.

Was this body she now wore to be hers forever more? Would there come a time when she would cease being Tatewaki and become Taki? Looking into the mirror she examined her body's curve and shapes. She was a beautiful creature, a sight to behold, but…she did not want this form.

Placing her hands as to cover that which she would not want others to see, she closed her eyes trying to imagine the body she once possessed. Two months ago it would have been a simple task, but now she was not as vain as she once had been. The truth that she did not want to admit to herself, was that the delusions she once held were now shattered. Although she believed that she had not yet ceased to be Tatewaki, the Blue Thunder was no more. "Fate is a cruel mistress indeed."

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Yoshinori was lost. She knew the Kuno home was somewhere in area of where she stood, but exactly where it was she didn't know. There were more than a few big homes in the general vicinity but whether any of them were her upperclassman's she didn't know.

"You there, peasant, you wear the same uniform as my dear sister. Are you one of her underlings?"

Turning around, the former boy saw a younger version of Kuno-sempai. The girl was shorter, and wore the uniform belonging to St. Bacchus' School for girls, but her face was exactly the same. "Yes, I want to speak with her, but I got a little lost."

"Very well, I shall allow you to accompany me as I return home." Kodachi frowned. One such as her older sister deserved only the company of the best. The girl before her with the short green hair might be cute by the standards of commoner, but the skinny body and small chest she possessed was far from attractive in her discerning eyes.

"Thank you." Yoshinori never knew Kuno-sempai had a sister. It seemed the high class personality of the older Kuno seemed to run in the family. "I'm Yoshinori Chihara"

"I do not need to know your name, you are my sister's lackey and I do not care what you are called. However, if you must address me, I am to be called Kodachi-sama. Do you understand?" Leading the girl to the home she shared with her sister, Kodachi idly wondered why the girl had to speak with her sister. What business was it that it could not been done at school? Furthermore, why would her elder sister even be home at this time?

"Yes." It seemed the younger Kuno was worse than the one that she knew. Yoshinori couldn't help but be intimidated by her.

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A few minutes passed since she crossed paths with Yoshinori, and the girl had remained silent since their exchange of names. While Kodachi respected her older sister's privacy, she was curious. "Dear sister I am home, and I have brought one of your disciples as well!"

Taki came from the courtyard, now dressed in her kendo garb, she wondered what 'disciple' would come to her home. As she reached her sister she saw one of Akane's friends. What was the green haired girl's name? "Yuki, yes?"

"Yoshinori. Risa started calling me Yuki, and I don't like it."

"Do not snap like that at your betters." For an underling the green haired girl was rather rude. Kodachi silently hoped her sister would allow her to teach the girl some manners.

"I apologize, I was aware you were as I am, but I did not know your true name." Her sister's growing respect for her was at times unsettling. She almost longed to be poisoned just to feel as she once did.

"Takiko you will allow her to get away with that?" Her sister had changed since her evolution, but the younger Kuno child could not believe she would show grace to this peasant.

"Kodachi, it was I who disrespected her first. In is not uncalled for her to react in kind." The older of two Kuno children noted the frown that appeared on her sister's face, and matched it with one of her own. Then she looked to Yoshinori. "Come let us discuss what we must in my room."

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Looking around the room, Yoshinori had expected to see posters of Natsumi or Akane covering the walls, but instead they were bare. The room was modestly furnished with a bed, a dresser, a desk and chair, and a second chair that sat to the side of the desk. Kuno-sempai sat down at the desk and motioned her to sit in the stand alone chair. "Thank you."

"You are welcome. Tell me, Yoshinori, what is it that brings you to my home? Are you curious as to why you were not restored? I do know that answer and question my own state as well." Since her arrival home she had done nothing but try to understand what had gone wrong. Neither the mirror nor practicing with her blade gave her the answers she sought. They did indeed give her answers but not to the question on the forefront of her mind.

"Er, maybe we can work out the answer together. I'm a very keen observer, and I'm good at figuring things out, maybe I can be of use to you." After her upperclassman beat Akane and noticed herself unchanged and others restored, the green haired girl had seen the tears in her eyes. She knew Kuno-sempai understood things no better than she did, but … maybe together they could figure this out.

"That is an acceptable proposal." The people she counted as friends were few, Nabiki, Jun-sempai. One more couldn't hurt. "What have you observed thus far?"

Taking a deep breath, the first year collected her thoughts. "Well from what I could tell, everyone who changed back today was a third year, and they were a part of the group that was attacked by Akane and not the one that attacked her."

"I see so my actions redeemed some of those that were without blame. But why only the upperclassman, and not those of my class or your own?"

"I don't know. Akira-sempai is still girl though and she should have been a part of the group that changed back." From what she understood; Akira Makimura, the literature club president, actually liked being a girl. Did her sempai not change back for that reason? If that was the case then Hikaru probably didn't have to worry about changing back. Since she didn't like being 'Yuki', hopefully she would eventually regain her manhood.

"Makimura-sempai should have changed back but didn't? That is disquieting." But not entirely unexpected…, if people could chose to stay as they became, Kuno couldn't picture any of Nabiki's Otaku club changing back. "Do you have any other information of value?"

"Not at the moment. No." Yoshinori watched as her upperclassman seemed to ponder something. Was she trying to think of way to explain what she knew of how her magic worked?

"If we are to work together on this then I wish us to be friends. For now let us get to know one another. I've always been curious why your hair is green."

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A hour passed and 'Yuki' told 'Taki'-sempai of what her sister did to her hair, thenthe older girl described her relationship with her own sister, and for the last ten minutes the older girl explained why she believed for now they should accept their new names. Yoshinori could actually see the sense in her upperclassman's words. "I never would have thought you could think of something like that."

"Two months ago, it is most likely I would not. However, all jests aside, I am not the man I once was. I do not believe I have evolved as my little sister puts it, but I have grown." It came to her during the twenty minutes she practiced with her sword before Yuki's arrival. She did not want to become Taki ,or Takiko as her sister said it, but for now it was the body she had. She would accept their label for it, knowing who she truly was despite the name. "I will admit it is strange to see things so clearly. I am unaccustomed to it. Looking back I can see there are those who tried to help me achieve this goal, while others allowed me to stay under my illusions of grandeur. However, now some who once stood on side of the illusion stand with those who wish to see me mature, and it has allowed me to do so."

"So, you like Nabiki-sempai?" It was no secret that Akane's older sister used to take advantage the old Kuno, and now the two worked together. Not to mention how friendly they were the day before.

"I did not say that, but…yes I am starting to fancy her. I'd like to believe she may fancy me as well, but with Nabiki it is hard to tell." This morning Nabiki had said she might give her a chance should she become a man again. Later, when they ate lunch together, Nabiki blushed when they discussed her possible return to manhood. As depressing as this failure was, she would find some way to restore her original form so that she and Nabiki might become a couple.

An alarm on Yoshino's watch went off, and she checked the time. "I'm sorry I need to get home."

"That is understandable." Taki watched as Yuki got up to leave. This brought her to a thought from earlier in the day. She needed to have a discussion with her sister.

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Kodachi fed her pet alligator in a displeased mood. She'd rather have her sister to herself. Why was Takiko spending time with that commoner? "Mr. Turtle how do you like the taste of pesants."

"Kodachi, Yuki left ten minutes ago." Taki had taken the ten minutes to think of how she wanted this conversation to go. "Do you remember our mother?"

"You talk as if it was ages ago when she left. It was only six years, I remember her well. She was never worthy of the Kuno name." The only thing she and her sister had to be proud of from their mother was their beautiful appearance. A commoner their mother may have been, but she was graced with more beauty than she deserved.

"Do you remember what happened the day she left father?" That day six years ago…. She, then still a he, had got into an argument with their mother. In a fit of selfish anger she told her mother to go away and never return. During the day while trying to understand the powers she may hold, she wondered if those words did not force their mother away.

"It does not matter." Of course she remembered it, their mother was in the wrong, her sister had every right to be angry with her. "I have noticed as of late you have been forgiving to those that do not deserve forgiveness, but our mother?"

How could she answer that? A strange idea formed in her head. Quite possibly one worthy of their father. Her own growth was due to her change and the how the students of Furinkan now treated her. Kodachi need to grow up too, it was a task she could not accomplish alone. "Kodachi, you believe that my 'evolution' has been for the better. Why don't you transfer to Furinkan?"

What in the world was her sister asking of her? Transfer to that school, to his school? Even if he was absent, it was filled with commoners. It was true she had one student to thank for her sister's change, but not all of the changes were for the better. Still, she knew that her elder sister would never agree to transfer to St. Bacchus. "Perhaps I shall. If only to help you remember your proper station."

"Despite how things may seem, little sister, I have never forgotten who I am." That said, she did not entirely find fault with who she was becoming so long as at the end of the journey she might one day be a man.

-v-v-

Lio's Corner:  
-Both Kuno and Kodachi are aware their father is the principal of Furinkan.

-v-

Getting to know the extras:  
Since I was trying to make this story as ridiculous as possible, it has a lot of extra's that I've created to fill various roles. Here I'll try to give a brief summary of those characters.

-Yoshinori Chihara(AKA Yuki); Before being transformed Yoshinori was a member of the Literature Club with Nabiki. After being transformed she stopped attending because she was uncomfortable with the comfort her fellow former male club members had in their new bodies. Although she isn't a martial artist, she does have a keen eye for detail and sometimes notices things others don't. The idea for her personal name came from the main character of "Yubisaki Milk Tea"

-Jun Izumi: The former captain of the Kendo club, he turned the reins over to Kuno when the current school year started. He and Kuno have known each other since middle school, and he's always giving Kuno advice. However until Kuno became a girl, he never listened to the advice. Jun is a strong Kendo practitioner, and if the stuck solely to Kendo he could beat Kuno. I don't think I named him after any character in particular I just chose a gender neutral name for him.


End file.
